Earth had become so over-populated that colony ships were dispatched all over
the universe in order to secure other habitable places humans can migrate to.
One such colony ship called the Mesopotamia crashes to a planet called Terra
II.
The good news is, Terra II is conducive to human life. The bad news is, only
six people survived the crash... and they're all men!
These six men decide to work together to make Terra II a world where humanity
can thrive, but for all their efforts they can only multiply in numbers
through cloning.
Thus, six countries are established where all the citizens are men. In memory
of women, the men produce marionettes -- female androids which help the men
with their everyday lives.
A young teenage boy named Otaru Mamiya is but one of the many residents of
Japoness, one of the all-male countries that were established. Otaru
unwittingly awakens three very special marionettes, namely Lime, Cherry, and
Bloodberry.
Unlike other marionettes, these three are have feelings and free will. They
are almost human -- laughing, crying, getting angry... but it seems that they
have higher purpose, something which Otaru could never have been prepared for.
Review: Saber Marionette J
If Saber Marionette J were a pizza, it would definitely be one with everything
on it. It's got so many things going that it's difficult to pick a place to
start dissecting it. While each episode more or less focuses on the life and
times of Otaru Mamiya and his three marionettes, everything that develops
falls into a greater and more complex plot.
What sets Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry apart from all other marionettes is the
presence of a maiden circuit. The maiden circuit enables them to experience
emotions and react to situations as a human girl would, and all three fall in
love with Otaru the moment they are awakened. But that's not all there is to
it. Japoness faces the constant threat of invasion by Gartland, since
Gartland's leader Faust seeks to dominate the world.
Otaru and his three marionettes are handpicked by the Japoness shogun Ieyasu
Tokugawa to help defend the country by infiltrating Gartland and sabotaging
their main computer, but Faust in turn also has three special marionettes with
maiden circuits, namely Tiger, Panther, and Luchs.
Something far deeper than state rivalry is going on between Faust and Ieyasu,
and the key to saving Terra II from a destructive world war lies in uncovering
the truth fast.
Saber Marionette J has the works -- action, comedy, tragedy, romance... like a
pizza crammed with all sorts of toppings. It took me a while to get through
the first few episodes, which were quite sluggishly paced compared to the rest
of the series.
However, after the real plot started to come into play, I couldn't even be
bothered to stop to eat or shower. I simply had to see how things were going
to turn out to the end. It was amazing how richly characterized the whole cast
was.
There were no exceptions, from the main players right down to the most minor
characters. Everyone had something to contribute to either the setting or the
storyline. Even the villains aren't really evil to the core. They have their
own reasons for doing whatever it is they're doing.
Since Terra II is an all-male planet, there would inevitably be guys in love
with other guys. In this case, Otaru is constantly pursued by an effeminate
young man named Mitsurugi Hanagata.
Hanagata would literally do anything for Otaru because of his undying love,
and there are numerous occasions where he would express his desire for an
intimate relationship with Otaru. In fact, it's a given throughout the series
that the three marionettes and Hanagata would always compete for Otaru's
affection.
The art and animation are quite good. Character designs are exceptionally
distinct. Lime is cute, Cherry is very womanly, Bloodberry is voluptuous...
there's a marionette for just about every taste, and even Faust's marionettes
are no pushovers when it comes to looks and appeal.
Each country on Terra II also has its own theme. Japoness' rustic and colorful
appearance can be likened to feudal Japan, Gartland comes across as a
communistic nation where food and supplies are rationed and all that can be
seen are monochromatic buildings and factories, New Texas is patterned after
the United States... and so forth.
The English dubbing is done well enough, although I personally prefer the
original Japanese voices. Megumi Hayashibara
(also Rei in "Neon Genesis Evangelion") plays the ever-perky Lime,
Takehito Koyasu (also Hotohori in "Fushigi Yuugi") is the fruity
Hanagata, Kikuko Inoue (also Belldandy in "Oh My Goddess") is the
impatient Panther, and Hikaru Midorikawa
(also Heero in "Gundam Wing") is the cold and calculating Faust.
At times funny, at times unaffecting, and at times touching, Saber Marionette
J is nonetheless entertaining all the way. It could have used a bit of
tweaking here and there to even out the pacing but overall, it's a good
series.
Miscellanies: Saber Marionette J
Saber Marionette J anime is comprised of 25 episodes. The Ultimate Collection DVD
set contains three complete series, namely Saber Marionette J, Saber
Marionette J Again, and Saber Marionette J to X.
Saber Marionette J | |
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 25 |
| Status | Finished Airing |
| Aired | Oct 1, 1996 to Mar 25, 1997 |
| Producers | TV Tokyo, Bandai Visual, Hal Film Maker, Sotsu |
| Studio | Studio Junio |
| Rating | PG-13 - Teens 13 or older |
| Themes | Harem, Martial Arts, Mecha |
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